Image processing apparatus having shadow composition capability using binary data thinning and thickening circuits and preset thinning and thickening width data

摘要

An image processing apparatus includes a control part for allowing real-time operations of a scanning unit and a recording unit, a binarizing part for generating signals indicative of binary data from input data, a preset data generating part for generating either a preset thinning width or a preset thickening width, a thinning circuit for carrying out a choking process in which the binary data is moved either in a main scanning direction or in a sub scanning direction and a portion of an original image is removed so as to obtain a choked image, a thickening circuit for carrying out a spreading process in which the binary data is moved either in the main scanning direction or in the sub scanning direction and an additional image portion is added to the original image so as to obtain a spread image, and an image composition part for generating a composite image of the choked image and the spread image so that a shadow is added to the original image.